Al Shahania and Umm Salal were forced to share the spoils following a 1-1 draw in Week 6 of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League at the Al Arabi Stadium on Friday.

Al Shanania got on the scoresheet in the 27th minute, thanks to Ramin Rezaeian, and Umm Salal equalised in the 38th minute, courtesy of an Adil Rhaili goal.

The tense battle began in a frenzied fashion with chances offered on either side. Rezaeian floated in a cross to the far post which Reza Shanbeh was able to volley in sumptuous fashion. However, Yazan Naim was able to pull off a fine save.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Al Mawas had a similar opportunity and saw his well-hit strike pushed to safety in defiant fashion by Khalifa Al Dossari.

The deadlock was broken midway through the half after Aldoukali Al Baoure had earned his team a free-kick on the edge of the box. Nigel de Jong took the free-kick which was deflected by the wall and demanded a save from Naim. The referee then referred back to VAR after a handball was spotted in the wall and a penalty was awarded which Rezaeian converted with aplomb.

The moment of the match, and an early goal of the season contender, was reserved for a very special effort by Rhaili to bring the scores level in the latter stages of the first half. After receiving the ball just inside the opposition half, he took a few steps forward before launching an audacious left-footed shot which flew past the goalkeeper and burst the net on arrival.

Umm Salal thought they had taken the lead with a spectacular strike from an indirect free-kick early in the second half, but Victor Vazquez’s celebrations were ended after VAR controversially ruled the goal out as Lawrence Quawe was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

Having made a match-saving tackle up one end, Rhaili nearly became the match winner deep into injury time as he tried to replicate his earlier goal with another long-range effort, but this time it was well-saved.